This invention relates to a connector comprising a number of contacts to be connected to a number of circuits.
An information processing apparatus such as a personal computer 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 transmits and receives various kinds of signals. For input and output of these signals, the personal computer 10 is provided with a plurality of connectors 11, 12, and 13 different in shape and typically formed on its rear side.
The connector 11 is intended to be connected to a connector 15 of a docking station 14 or a connector 17 of a port replicator 16. Each of the connectors 12 and 13 is adapted to be connected to a connector 19 of a peripheral device 18 such as a CD (Compact Disc) drive and a DVD (Digital Video Disc) drive. The docking station 14 and the port replicator 16 have connectors 21 and 22, respectively, which can be connected to the connector 19 of the peripheral device 18.
Thus, the personal computer 10 is adapted to be connected to various types of peripheral devices. Therefore, the connectors 11, 12, and 13 are supplied with various kinds of signals.
In the personal computer 10, the connectors 11, 12, and 13 are not classified in accordance with the kinds of signals supplied thereto. Therefore, each of the connectors 11, 12, and 13 may be supplied with the various kinds of signals. In this case, wiring for the connectors 11, 12, and 13 is complicated and therefore difficult.
In cases where personal computers manufactured by different manufacturers are selectively connected, connection to the common peripheral device or the common docking station may be defective even if connectors of the same kind are used in the personal computers. This is because pin assignment of the connector is often different for each manufacturer as known in the art.
Furthermore, if connection to a particular circuit block alone is desired, a special connector for the particular circuit block must be additionally equipped in the personal computer. This requires the connector cost and the mounting cost for the special connector.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a connector that removes the above-mentioned problems by grouping a number of contacts into a plurality of groups or blocks corresponding to individual circuits, respectively.
It is another object of this invention to provide an information processing apparatus equipped with the above-mentioned connector.
Other objects of this invention will become clear as the description proceeds.
According to this invention, there is provided a connector which comprises an insulator, a coupling portion held by the insulator for coupling to a mating connector, and a number of contacts placed inside the coupling portion and held by the insulator for being connected to the mating connector when the coupling portion is coupled to the mating connector, the contacts being grouped into a plurality of contact groups which correspond to intended-uses, respectively, the contacts of each of the contact groups being collectively arranged.